Hauhechel (Hauhechel) - The natural medicine for the bladder and kidneys. Uses, healing effects & recipes

Hauhechel (Hauhechel) - The natural medicine for the bladder and kidneys. Uses, healing effects & recipes

The prickly hackle (often called prickly hackle) is a well-known medicinal plant in Europe that is mainly used to treat or relieve bladder and kidney diseases. The pretty-looking plant with its pink papilionian flowers contains many saponins and essential oils, which is why it finds its way into naturopathic applications. However, the plant is not always popular in many gardens because of its deep taproots and sharp spines. Due to the constant getting stuck of plows in gardening, the plant has the English name Restharrow (literally: rest plow / rest harrow | Meaning: break for the plow).

The profile

• Wissenschaftlicher Name: Ononis spinosa
• Pflanzenfamilie: Bohnenfamilie, Hülsenfruchtfamilie, Erbsenfamilie
• Andere Namen: dorniger Hauhechel, Hauchechel
• Aussaatzeit / Pflanzzeit: Oktober – März
• Blütezeit: Juni – September
• Erntezeit: August – September
• Lage: sonnig
• Bodenqualität: nährstoffarm, trocken und gut durchlässig
• Verwendung als Heilkraut: Blasenprobleme, Blasensteine, Nierenkies, Nierenentzündung (unterstützend), Harnwegsinfektionen
• Verwendung als Gewürzkraut: junge Triebe für Salate

Origin and distribution of puff-harrow (Hauhechel)

It is a genus of plants that originated in Europe and can therefore be found in almost all European countries - with the exception of the Scandinavian countries. The plant is also sometimes found in North Africa and Western Asia. The Hauhechel prefers sunny, dry and slightly calcareous locations and is therefore mainly found in forest clearings, roadsides and embankments.

Plant order of the Hauhechel

The Hauhechel (Ononis spinosa) belongs to the legume family (Fabaceae) and therefore has a direct relationship with important crops such asPeas, Beans or Lupins as well as well-known medicinal plants such as Red clover. The genus Hauhecheln (Ononis) has around 80 known species, of which the thorny Hauhcechel (Ononis spinosa) is probably the best known species. Other subspecies are also known, such as the common agrimony (Ononis spinosa subsp. Maritima) and the field man's litter (Ononis spinosa subsp. Arvensis).

Appearance and characteristics of the Hauhechel

plant

Hauhechel is a very attractive plant when flowering. The plant, which usually grows between 25 and 70 cm high, has typical characteristics of a subshrub. The taproot, which grows up to 50 cm into the ground, is particularly striking.

leaves

The herb has serrated, tripinnate leaves with stipules. The stipules are also toothed. The side branches have very sharp thorns.

flowers

The pink flowers are arranged on short shoots that form relatively dense clusters of stems. The calyx has a noticeable hairiness. The flowering period of the thorny hackle usually occurs from mid-May to early October. Small, hairy legumes then develop.

Fragrance

The prickly hackle emits a sometimes unpleasant, slightly sweet smell when it is flowering.

Hauhechel and its uses

In the kitchen

The plant has little use in the kitchen. Occasionally Hauhechel attracts lovers of wild herb salads, using the young shoots, which have a slightly spicy taste. Adult plants have a very unpleasant taste.

As a medicinal herb

Hauhechel is a very old medicinal plant that was already used in the time of the ancient Romans. Greek doctors also mentioned Hauhechel in the 1st century AD. At that time the plant was mainly used for kidney, urinary and stone problems.

In medieval herbal books, the bark of the Hauhechel was placed in wine and drunk to break kidney stones with “force”. The plant was also used to treat genital warts, to relieve liver problems (“liver congestion”) and spleen diseases or to improve urine flow. In addition to internal diseases, the herb was also used for toothache. Here the roots were treated with water and vinegar.

Even in today's use, the Hauhechel is mainly used for some kidney and bladder diseases. Here the root of the plant is usually used in the form of teas. The roots contain saponins, essential oils and tannins that increase the amount of urine. In addition, the tea extracts are also used to prevent urinary and kidney stones and to remove kidney grit.

In folk medicine, the plant is still occasionally used to purify the blood.

Hauhechel tea – instructions for use

• Für die Zubereitung eines Hauhechel-Tees reicht es aus, 200 ml kochendes Wasser mit etwa 1 ½ Teelöffel geschnittener Hauhechel-Wurzel zu gießen.
• Dann etwa 20 bis 30 Minuten ziehen lassen. Decken Sie den Behälter gut ab!
• Pro Tag sollten nicht mehr als 3 Tassen dieses Tees getrunken werden. Nicht länger als drei Tage hintereinander verwenden.
• Warten Sie bei längerem Gebrauch etwa eine Woche und konsultieren Sie einen Arzt, wenn die Symptome anhalten.

Danger: If you are known to have heart failure or water retention, you should avoid using a hackle or at least consult a doctor. Visiting this site cannot replace a visit to the doctor. If you have serious or unclear symptoms, contact your doctor.

Buying Hauhechel – What should you pay attention to?

Hauhechel is relatively rare in the trade. The plant can usually only be purchased online or from selected herbalists. The same goes for seeds, which are usually very cheap. However, Hauhechel grows almost everywhere where it is relatively sparse.

Only the root is needed for naturopathic applications. Hauhechel roots are available from specialist herbalists or online. Assessing product quality is relatively difficult. Some roots contain insufficient active ingredients, usually due to inexperienced wild collection. So when buying online, you should look for a good reputation of the dealer and avoid private sellers on online marketplaces.